Heart attack man 'saved 12 times'

Ian Burston with ambulance staff (from left) Gareth Williams, Stephen Railton-Williams and Adrian Cook

A man whose heart was re-started 12 times has been reunited with the Welsh Ambulance Service staff who saved him.

Three ambulance staff fought for an hour to save 35-year-old builder Ian Burston after he suffered a massive heart attack at his girlfriend's home.

The father of two from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, thanked them in person after they visited him during his recovery.

Paramedic Gareth Williams said: "You do get people back but 12 times is pretty incredible."

The incident happened at about 0800 BST on 15 April, when Mr Burston collapsed after feeling unwell on his way to work.

Ambulance crew Adrian Cook and Steve Jones were on scene within a minute, closely followed by Mr Williams in a Rapid Response Vehicle.

This was a 35-year-old fit and healthy man with no history of heart trouble and he was clinically dead for half an hour and now he's made a full recovery - that's amazing. Adrian Cook, ambulance technician

Gareth, also from Barry, a paramedic for 23 years, said: "He's a very, very lucky boy. The crew were there very quickly and began treatment immediately.

"He was in cardiac arrest when they got there and he was in and out of cardiac arrest for 30 minutes. He was flat-lining."

Mr Williams said the crew gave Mr Burston shock therapy 12 times, as well as the appropriate drugs.

He added: "To begin with there was no shockable rhythm and we had to work at him with CPR - cardio-pulmonary resuscitation - and oxygen before we could shock him.

"Then we'd get his heart going and then it would go into fibrillation and we'd have to shock him again.

"To all intents and purposes he was dead so it's a nice outcome. I've done a few but none quite like this."

Ambulance technician Adrian Cook added: "This was a 35-year-old fit and healthy man with no history of heart trouble and he was clinically dead for half an hour and now he's made a full recovery - that's amazing."

I feel as good as new now... but if the ambulance team hadn't arrived so soon, I would be brain-damaged or dead Ian Burston

Mr Burston was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where he remained for two weeks.

He said: "I feel as good as new now although I still can't drive but if the ambulance team hadn't arrived so soon, I would be brain-damaged or dead.

"I know I wouldn't have been waking up at all if it weren't for the work they did on me."

Ian's father Dave added: "They worked on him for over an hour on the floor, and while they normally only resuscitate three times, they kept trying and trying.

"For us, these people are heroes. It is a hard job they have got, and they go over and above the call of duty.

"I am sure we are not the only family they have made a big difference to. Heroic is the only word to describe them."